Mechanical swimming device.



A. PATUS & A. CSIGSMANN. MECHANICAL SWIMMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1914.

1,100,195. Patented June 16, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

A. PATHS & A. GSICSMANNF MECHANICAL SWIMMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23.1914.

1,100,195. I Patented un 16,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

3W (My 1 9 fi/arazzier Pa in .5; mm fllzikaig l'yz'c wading WM mod/120k ALEXANDER PATUS AND ANTHONY CSICSMANN, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

MECHANICAL SWIMMING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 16, 1914.

Application filed. March 23, 1914. Serial No. 826,576.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER PATUS and ANTHONY CSICSMANN, subjects of the King of Hungary, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechamcal Swimming Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mechanical swimming devices.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a body-carried float and paddle whereby the wearer may manually navigate through the water with absolute safety from drowning.

A further object is to provide a swimming paddle operatively mounted upon a floating buoy construction adapted to be worn by the swimmer and whereby a manipulation of the paddle forcibly propels the wearer through the water.

A still further object is to provide a buoyant bathing jacket having bow and stern portions and with a paddle pivoted to the bow portion adapted for feathering upon its inoperative stroke as forcibly moved by the wearer.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating char acters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a view of the device in its operative position as worn by a bather. Fig. 2 is a View of the bow portion of the device and the paddle, looking in the direction of line 2-2, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the paddle member with the paddle shaft shown in section upon line 33 of Fig. 1 and having the closed position of the paddle indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4c is a side elevation of the device detached from the wearer. Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof, and Fig. 6 is a view of the stern portion of the device, the straps being shown in section and taken upon the line 66 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

the invention primarily resides in the rear or stern float 10 and a bow or forward float 11, the latter having a paddle shaft 12 pivoted at the front thereof upon a forwardlycxtending arm 13. The appearance of the float members somewhat resembles the form of a boat and for facilitating its application to the body of the wearer, the bow member 11 has a curved rear face 14 adapted to engage the chest and retained in position by means of upper and lower shoulder straps 15 and 16 respectively, having their rear ends secured to the inner curved face 17 of the stern float 10 and receiving the arms of the wearer between said straps and with said floats positioned forwardly and rearwardly of the body, the curvature of the stern float fitting substantially the small of the back of the wearer and positioned in a plane slightly below that of the bow float 11. A downwardly projecting arm 18 carried by the bow float positions an arcuate band 19 against the waist of the wearer while a belt 20 is received in the hook 21 forwardly of said band, while the belt is mounted upon a downwardly projecting angular brace 22 carried by the stern float. The bow float is provided with a cut-out portion 23 while the rear float has an interrupted space 24-, each adapted for insuring a more perfect fit of the appliance. The stern float combines a rear rudder piece 25 with upper side spaced protuberances 26 which latter engage the body. The paddle shaft 12 is propelled by the wearer of the device by grasping the top cross-piece 27 of said shaft with the hands and imparting a forward and rearward movement thereto, similar to a rowing operation.

A two-part circular blade 28 has its two parts hinged as at 29 to the front face of the bottom portion of the shaft 12 and as will be clearly seen by referring to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, a forward movement of the blade effected by a rearward movement of the operators hands, forces the blade through the water forwardly in its closed position, while a forward movement of the hands rearwardly propels the blade in its open operative position and thereby impels the swimmer forwardly. The lower end of the shaft 12 has its diverging sides 27 adapted to be contacted by the blade portions when in their folded positions.

The manner of placing the device upon the wearer will be apparent from the above description as well as the operation of the paddle device for propelling the swimmer.

lVhile the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that various forms and modifications thereof may be had without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

\Vhat is claimed as new is 1. A device of the class described comprising a two-part float, body attaching means secured between the parts of said float, a forwardly-projecting arm upon said float, a paddle shaft pivoted in said arm, a hand-engaging cross-bar at the upper free end of said shaft, and a twopart blade having its parts separately hinged to the front edge of the lower portion of the shaft.

A device of the class described, comprising a bow float having a curved rear wall and a cut-away rear upper portion, a stern float having a rudder portion and upper protuberances with a cut-away portion between said protuberances and curved inner surfaces upon the latter, shoulder straps and a belt strap secured between said bow and stern floats, and a propelling device secured to said bow float.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a bow float having a curved rear wall and a cut-away rear upper portion, a stern float having a rudder portion and up per protuberances with a cut-away portion between said protuberances and curved in- 5 ner surfaces upon the latter, shoulder straps and a belt strap secured between said bow and stern floats, a forwardly projecting arm upon said how float, a paddle shaft pivoted to said arm, a hand-engaging cross-bar ad 0 jacent the top of said shaft, a circular twopart blade having its portions separately hinged to the front face of the bottom portion of said shaft, and the bottom portion of said shaft having diverging sides adapted for contacting said blade portions when in their closed positions.

l. A device of the class described comprising a body carried float, a forwardly projecting arm upon said bow float, a paddle shaft pivoted to said arm, a hand-engaging cross-bar adjacent the top of said shaft, a circular two-part blade having its portions separately hinged to the front face of the bottom portion of said shaft, and the bottom portion of said shaft having diverging sides adapted for contacting said blade portions when in their closed positions.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER PATUS. ANTHONY CSICSMANN.

\Vitnesses MoERroUn JERL, CHAS. BARANYAI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

